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United States Patent |
5,156,541
|
Lew
|
October 20, 1992
|
Revolving vane pump-motor-meter with a toroidal working chamber
Abstract
A positive displacement pump-motor-meter has a housing structure and a
rotor disposed within and supported by the housing structure in a
rotatable arrangement about an axis of rotation, wherein the combination
of the housing structure and the rotor provides a toroidal cavity
encircling the axis of rotation and having cross sectional area varying
from a maximum value at the 12 o'clock position to a minimum value at the
6 o'clock position, which toroidal cavity houses a plurality of planar
vanes disposed therealong in an axisymmetric arrangement about the axis of
rotation and supported by the rotor member in a revolvable arrangement
about respective axes of revolution, of wherein the revolving motion of
each of the plurality of vanes about its respective axis of revolution is
coupled to the rotating motion of the rotor about the axis of rotation in
such a way that the vane revolves at an angular speed equal to one half of
the angular speed of the rotor, whereby each of the plurality of planar
vanes substantially fills up cross section of the toroidal cavity at all
instances throughout the rotating motion thereof about the axis of
rotation and, consequently, moves fluid media through an inlet port and an
outlet port respectively open to the two opposite halves of the toroidal
cavity in a positive manner. The above-described positive displacement
apparatus can be converted into an internal combustion engine when a fuel
injecting device and a spark plug are added thereto.
Inventors:
|
Lew; Hyok S. (7890 Oak St., Arvada, CO 80005)
|
Appl. No.:
|
696586 |
Filed:
|
May 7, 1991 |
Current U.S. Class: |
418/226; 123/243; 418/227; 418/233; 418/234 |
Intern'l Class: |
F04C 002/36; F01C 001/36 |
Field of Search: |
418/225,226,233,234,227
123/243
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
1279912 | Sep., 1918 | Roberts | 418/227.
|
2341710 | Feb., 1944 | Gingrich | 418/227.
|
3256832 | Jun., 1966 | Hartley | 418/233.
|
3636930 | Jan., 1972 | Okada | 418/233.
|
3895893 | Jul., 1975 | Sommer | 418/226.
|
4082485 | Apr., 1978 | Sommer | 418/226.
|
4646568 | Mar., 1987 | Lew | 418/268.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
643131 | Feb., 1931 | AU | 418/226.
|
2-125994 | May., 1990 | JP | 418/233.
|
Primary Examiner: Bertsch; Richard A.
Assistant Examiner: Cavanaugh; David L.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention, in which an exclusive property or
priviledge is claimed, are defined as follows:
1. An apparatus for executing a function related to flow of fluid
comprising in combination:
a) a housing;
b) a rotor member supported by the housing rotatably about an axis of
rotation;
c) a toroidal cavity encircling the axis of rotation wherein at least a
portion of wall of the toroidal cavity is provided by an annular surface
encircling the axis of rotation and belonging to the rotor member, and the
other portion of the wall of the toroidal cavity is provided by the
housing, wherein the toroidal cavity has cross sectional area continuously
varying from a maximum value at a first cross section substantially
coinciding with a plane including the axis of rotation to a minimum value
at a second cross section diametrically opposite to the first cross
section across the axis of rotation and has cross sectional dimension
between two opposing portions of the wall of the toroidal cavity provided
by the housing varying from a maximum value at said first cross section to
a minimum value at said second cross section, and further has two ports
respectively open to two opposite halves of the toroidal cavity
respectively located on two opposite sides of said plane;
d) a plurality of vanes with width greater than thickness thereof disposed
within the toroidal cavity in a distributed arrangement about the axis of
rotation and respectively supported by a plurality of stub shafts disposed
following said at least a portion of the wall of the toroidal cavity
provided by the rotor member in a substantially axisymmetric arrangement
about the axis of rotation and revolvably supported by the rotor member;
and
e) a plurality of rotary members with positively meshing teeth elements
disposed coaxially to respective central axes thereof, each of said
plurality of rotary members nonrotatably mounted on each of the plurality
of stub shafts supporting the vanes, wherein each of the plurality of
rotary members positively engages a stationary round member with
positively meshing teeth elements disposed coaxially to the axis of
rotation and affixed to the housing in such a way that each of the
plurality of vanes revolves about the central axis of each of the
plurality of stub shafts supporting the vanes at one half of the angular
speed of rotation of the rotor member about the axis of rotation;
wherein cross sectional area of the toroidal cavity is closely matched to
areas of sweeps of the plurality of vanes throughout orbiting motions of
the vanes about the axis of rotation in such a way that each of the
plurality of vanes substantially fills up cross section of the toroidal
cavity at all instances during orbiting motions of the vanes about the
axis of rotation.
2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rotor member includes a
power shaft affixed to the rotor member coaxially to the axis of rotation
and extending therefrom and through the housing.
3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said combination includes
means for measuring speed of rotation of the rotor member about the axis
of rotation as a measure of fluid media moving through the apparatus.
4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plurality of stub
shafts supporting the vanes are disposed on a plane perpendicular to the
axis of rotation in a substantially axisymmetrically radiating pattern
from the axis of rotation.
5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said at least a portion of
the wall of the toroidal cavity provided by the rotor member includes an
annular portion of a spherical surface with center located on said plane
including the plurality of stub shafts and on the axis of rotation,
wherein said annular portion of the spherical surface constitutes inner
circumferential portion of the wall of the toroidal cavity.
6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein outer circumferential
portion of the wall of the toroidal cavity includes an annular portion of
another spherical surface concentric to said a spherical surface.
7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plurality of stub
shafts supporting the vanes are disposed on a circular cylindrical surface
coaxial to the axis of rotation in a parallel arrangement to the axis of
rotation.
8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said at least a portion of
the wall of the toroidal cavity provided by the rotor member includes a
flat annular surface coaxial and perpendicular to the axis of rotation,
wherein said flat annular surface constitutes one side portion of the wall
of the toroidal cavity.
9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein the other side portion of
the wall of the toroidal cavity opposite to said one side portion of the
wall of the toroidal cavity includes a flat annular surface coaxial and
perpendicular to the axis of rotation.
10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said the other side
portion of the wall of the totoidal cavity is also provided by the rotor
member.
11. An internal combustion engine comprising in combination:
a) a housing;
b) a rotor member supported by the housing rotatably about an axis of
rotation and including a power output shaft disposed coaxially to the axis
of rotation;
c) a toroidal cavity encircling the axis of rotation wherein at least a
portion of wall of the toroidal cavity is provided by an annular surface
encircling the axis of rotation and belonging to the rotor member, and the
other portion of the wall of the toroidal cavity is provided by the
housing, wherein the toroidal cavity has cross sectional area continuously
varying from a maximum value at a first cross section substantially
coinciding with a plane including the axis of rotation to a minimum value
at a second cross section diametrically opposite to the first cross
section across the axis of rotation and has cross sectional dimension
between two opposing portions of the wall of the toroidal cavity provided
by the housing varying from a maximum value at said first cross section to
a minimum value at said second cross section, and further has an exhaust
port open to the toroidal cavity that is disposed near said first cross
section, and an intake port open to the toroidal cavity that is disposed
near the exhaust port in such a way that the vanes orbiting about the axis
of rotation pass the exhaust port and the intake port in that order;
d) a plurality of vanes with width greater than thickness thereof disposed
within the toroidal cavity in a distributed arrangement about the axis of
rotation and respectively supported by a plurality of stub shafts disposed
following said at least a portion of the wall of the toroidal cavity
provided by the rotor member in a substantially axisymmetric arrangement
about the axis of rotation and revolvably supported by the rotor member;
e) a plurality of rotary members with positively meshing teeth elements
disposed coaxially to respective central axes thereof, each of said
plurality of rotary members nonrotatably mounted on each of the plurality
of stub shafts supporting the vanes, wherein each of the plurality of
rotary members positively engages a stationary round member with
positively meshing teeth elements disposed coaxially to the axis of
rotation and affixed to the housing in such a way that each of the
plurality of vanes revolves about the central axis of each of the
plurality of stub shafts supporting the vanes at one half of the angular
speed of rotation of the rotor member about the axis of rotation;
f) means for injecting fuel into the toroidal cavity disposed near said
second cross section; and
g) means for igniting fuel-air mixture contained in the toroidal cavity
disposed near said means for injecting fuel in such a way that the vanes
orbiting about the axis of rotation pass said means for injecting fuel and
said means for igniting in that order;
wherein cross sectional area of the toroidal cavity is closely matched to
areas of sweeps of the plurality of vanes throughout orbiting motions of
the vanes about the axis of rotation in such a way that each of the
plurality of vanes substantially fills up cross section of the toroidal
cavity at all instances during orbiting motions of the vanes about the
axis of rotation, and expanding volume of the combusting fuel-air mixture
rotates the combination of the plurality of vanes and the rotor member
about the axis of rotation.
12. An apparatus for executing a function related to flow of fluid media
comprising in combination:
a) a housing;
b) a rotor member supported by the housing rotatably about an axis of
rotation;
c) a toroidal cavity encircling the axis of rotation wherein at least a
portion of wall of the toroidal cavity is provided by an annular surface
encircling the axis of the rotation and belonging to the rotor member, and
the other portion of the wall of the toroidal cavity is proided by the
housing, wherein the toroidal cavity has cross sectional area varying
continuously from a maximum value at a first cross section substantially
coinciding with a plane including the axis of rotation to a minimum value
at a second cross section diametrically opposite to the first cross
section across the axis of the rotation, and has a first port open to
first half of the toroidal cavity located on one side of a plane
substantially including the maximum and minimum cross sections of the
toroidal cavity and a second port open to a second half of the toroidal
cavity located on the other side of said plane opposite to said one side;
d) a plurality of vanes with width greater than thickness thereof disposed
within the toroidal cavity in a distributed arrangement about the axis of
rotation and respectively supported by a plurality of stub shafts disposed
following said at least a portion of the wall of the toroidal cavity
provided by the rotor member on a conic surface coaxial to the axis of
rotation in a substantially axisymmetric and converging arrangement
towards an apex point located on the axis of rotation, and revolvably
supported by the rotor member; and
e) a plurality of positive rotary motion coupling means, wherein each of
said plurality of positive rotary motion coupling means positively couples
revolving motion of each of the plurality of vanes about the central axis
of each of the plurality of stub shafts supporting the vane to rotating
motion of the rotor member about the axis of rotation in such a way that
the vane revolves about the central axis of the respective stub shaft at
an angular speed equal to one half of the angular speed of the rotation of
the rotor member about the axis of rotation;
wherein the variation of the cross sectional area of the toroidal cavity
and the shape of the plurality of vanes are matched to one another in such
a way that each of the plurality of vanes substantially fills up cross
section of the toroidal cavity at all instances during orbiting movement
thereof about the axis of rotation.
13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said at least a portion
of the wall of the toroidal cavity provided by the rotor member includes
an annular portion of a spherical surface concentric to said apex point
defining the point of convergence of the plurality of stub shafts.
14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein a portion of the wall of
the toroidal cavity provided by the housing includes an annular portion of
another spherical surface concentric to said a spherical surface.
15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein the rotor member includes
a power shaft affixed to the rotor member coaxially to the axis of
rotation and extending therefrom and through the housing.
16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said combination includes
means for masuring speed of rotation of the rotor member about the axis of
rotation as a measure of fluid media moving through the apparatus.
17. An internal combustion engine comprising in combination:
a) a housing;
b) a rotor member supported by the housing rotatably about an axis of
rotation and including a power output shaft disposed coaxially to the axis
of rotation;
c) a toroidal cavity encircling the axis of rotation wherein at least a
portion of wall of the toroidal cavity is provided by an annular surface
encircling the axis of rotation and belonging to the rotor member and the
other portion of the wall of the toroidal cavity is provided by the
housing, wherein the toroidal cavity has cross sectional area varying
continuously from a maximum value at a first cross section substantially
coinciding with a plane including the axis of rotation to a minimum value
at a second cross section diametrically opposite to the first cross
section across the axis of rotation, and has an exhaust port open to the
toroidal cavity that is disposed near said first cross section, and an
intake port open to the toroidal cavity that is disposed near the exhaust
port in such a way that the vanes orbiting about the axis of rotation pass
the exhaust port and the intake port in that order;
d) a plurality of vanes with width greater than thickness thereof disposed
within the toroidal cavity in a distributed arrangement about the axis of
rotation and respectively supported by a plurality of stub shafts disposed
following said at least a portion of the wall of the toroidal cavity
proivded by the rotor member on a conic surface coaxial to the axis of
rotation in a substantially axisymmetric and converging arrangement
towards an apex point located on the axis of rotation, and revolvably
suported by the rotor member;
e) a plurality of positive rotary motion coupling means, wherein each of
said plurality of positive rotary motion coupling means positively couples
revolving motion of each of the plurality of vanes about the central axis
of each of the plurality of stub shafts supporting the vane to rotating
motion of the rotor member about the axis of rotation in such a way that
the vane revolves about the central axis of the respective stub shaft at
an angular speed equal to one half of the angular speed of the rotation of
the rotor member about the axis of rotation;
f) means for injecting fuel into the toroidal cavity disposed near said
second cross section; and
g) means for igniting fuel-air mixture contained in the toroidal cavity
disposed near said means for injecting fuel in such a way that the vanes
orbiting about the axis of rotation pass said means for injecting fuel and
said means for igniting in that order; wherein the variation of cross
sectional area of the toroidal cavity and the shape of the plurality of
vanes are matched to one another in such a way that each of the plurality
of vanes substantially fills up cross section of the toroidal cavity at
all instances during the orbiting movement thereof about the axis of
rotation, and expanding volume of the combusting fuel-air mixture rotates
the combination of the plurality of vanes and the rotor member about the
axis of rotation.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The positive displacement pump or motor or meter has very wide applications
in industry as well as in the domestic area. Many existing versions of the
positive displacement fluid handling devices have a small fluid occupied
volume compared with the total bulk of the device and consequently, these
versions are not suitable to handle fluid movements involving large flow
rates. The present invention teaches a positive displacement
pump-motor-meter that has a large fluid occupied volume constituting a
major portion of the total bulk of the device, which can be constructed
into an assembly wherein there is little sliding contact between moving
parts and stationary parts included in the device and consequently, the
teaching of the present invention provides a highly efficient and powerful
positive displacement fluid handling device for pumping fluid or for
harnessing power from the moving fluid or for measuring the rate of fluid
flow.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a positive
displacement pump-motor-meter comprising a plurality of substantially
planar vanes mounted in an axisymmetric arrangement on a rotor member
rotating about an axis of rotation, wherein each of the planar vanes is
revolvably supported by the rotor member and geared to the rotating motion
of the rotor member in such a way that each of the plurality of planar
vanes revolves over 180 degrees for each 360 degree rotation of the
combination of the rotor member and the plurality of planar vanes. The
plurality of planar vanes travel through a toroidal cavity disposed about
the axis of rotation, which toroidal cavity has cross sectional area
varying from a maximum value at one cross section to a minimum value at
the other cross section diametrically opposite to the cross section with
the maximum cross sectional area in such a way that each of the plurality
of planar vanes fills up the cross section of the toroidal cavity at all
instances during the rotating motion thereof about the axis of rotation.
The toroidal cavity has a wall with a portion of annular geometry provided
by the rotary member, which portion of the wall supports the plurality of
planar vanes, while the other remaining portion of the wall of the
toroidal cavity is provided by a stationary housing structure that
rotatably supports the combination of the rotor member and the plurality
of planar vanes. An inlet port and an outlet port respectively open to the
two opposite halves of the toroidal cavity are disposed on the two
opposite sides of the plane including the cross sections of the toroidal
cavity with the maximum and minimum cross sectional areas, respectively.
Another object is to provide the positive displacement pump-motor-meter
described in the above-described primary object of the present invention,
wherein the plurality of planar vanes are supported respectively by a
plurality of stub shafts disposed axisymmetrically about the axis of
rotation on a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation and supported by
the rotor member revolvably, and the inner and outer circumferential
portions of the wall of the toroidal cavity substantially coincide with
two concentric spherical surfaces with the common center located on the
axis of rotation, respectively, wherein at least one of the inner and
outer circumferential portions of the wall of the toroidal cavity is
provided by the rotor member.
A further object of the present invention is to provide the positive
displacement pump-motor-meter described in the primary object of the
present invention, wherein the plurality of planar vanes are supported
respectively by a plurality of stub shfts disposed axysymmetrically about
the axis of rotation on a circular cylindrical surface coaxial to the axis
of rotation and supported by the rotor member revolvably, and at least one
of the two planar side walls of the toroidal cavity perpendicular to the
axis of rotation is provided by the rotor member.
Yet another object is to provide the positive displacement pump-motor-meter
described in the primary object of the present invention, wherein the
plurality of planar vanes are supported respectively by a plurality of
stub shafts disposed axisymmetrically about the axis of rotation on a
conical surface coaxial to the axis of rotation and supported by the rotor
member revolvably, and the inner and outer circumferential portions of the
wall of the toroidal cavity substantially coincide with two concentric
spherical surfaces with the common center located on the axis of rotation,
respectively, which common center coincides with the point of convergence
of the plurality of stub shafts, wherein at least one of the inner and
outer circumferential portions of the all of the toroidal cavity is
provided by the rotor member.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an internal
combustion engine employing the construction of the positive displacement
pump-motor-meter described in the primary object of the present invention
with a modified arrangement of the inlet and outlet ports, which are now
disposed near the cross section of the toroidal cavity having the maximum
cross sectional area, which construction now includes a fuel injection
device and a spark plug disposed near the cross section of the toroidal
cavity having the minimum cross sectional area.
These and other objects of the present invention will become clear as the
description thereof progresses.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
The present invention may be described with a greater clarity and
specificity by referring to the following figures:
FIG. 1 illustrates a cross section of an embodiment of the revolving vane
pump-motor-meter of the present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates another cross section of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 illustrates a cross section of a modified version of the embodiment
shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 illustrates a developed view of a cross section of the toroidal
cavity including the plurality of planar vanes, which combination is
included in the revolving vane pump-motor-meter shown in FIGS. 2 or 3.
FIG. 5 illustrates a cross section of another embodiment of the revolving
vane pump-motor-meter of the present invention.
FIG. 6 illustrates another cross section of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 illustrates a cross section of a further embodiment of the revolving
vane pump-motor-meter of the present invention.
FIG. 8 illustrates a cross section of an embodiment of the internal
combustion engine employing the construction of the revolving vane
pump-motor-meter of the present invention with modified inlet and outlet
ports.
FIG. 9 illustrates the operating principles of the internal combustion
engine shown in FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 1 there is illustrated a cross section of an embodiment of the
revolving vane pump-motor-meter constructed in accordance with the
principles of the present invention. This revolving vane apparatus
comprises a plurality of substantially planar vanes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.,
disposed in a radially extending pattern from an axis of rotation 6 and
revolvably supported by a rotor member 7 respectively about a plurality of
axes of revolution 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, etc., disposed axisymmetrically about
the axis of rotation 6 on a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation 6,
as each of the plurality of planar vanes is supported by a stub shaft or
spindle 13 revolvably supported by a pair of bearings 14 and 15 secured to
the rotor member 7, wherein a seal 16 preventing the fluid from leaking
into the interior region in the rotor member 7 may be employed. The
plurality of planar vanes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc., travel through a toroidal
cavity 17 disposed about the axis of rotation 6, wherein the inner
circumferential portion 18 of the wall of the toroidal cavity 17 provided
by the rotor member 7 substantially coincides with a spherical surface
with the center lying on the axis of rotation 6, while the outer
circumferential portion 19 of the wall of the toroidal cavity 17 provided
by a stationary housing structure 20 substantially coincides with another
spherical surface concentric to the spherical surface coinciding with the
inner circumferential portion 18 of the toroidal cavity wall. The cross
sectional area of the toroidal cavity 17 varies from the maximum value at
the 12 o'clock position 21 to the minimum value at the 6 o'clock position
22 in such a way that each of the plurality of planar vanes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
etc., traveling through the toroidal cavity 17 substantially fills up the
cross section thereof at all instances during its orbiting motion about
the axis of rotation 6 through the toroidal cavity 17. A pair of ports 23
and 24 are respectively open to the two opposite halves of the toroidal
cavity 17 disposed on the two opposite sides of a plane including the
cross sections 21 and 22 of the toroidal cavity 17 having the maximum and
minimum cross sectional areas, respectively. Each of the plurality of
planar vanes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc., includes a bevel gear 25 that engages a
nonrotating gear affixed to the housing structure 20 in a coaxial
relationship to the axis of rotation 6 as shown in FIG. 2., which gear
coupling makes each of the plurality of planar vanes to revolve 180
degrees about its axis of revolution for every 360 degree rotation thereof
about the axis of rotation 6.
In FIG. 2 there is illustrated another cross section of the embodiment
shown in FIG. 1, which cross section is taken along plane 2--2 as shown in
FIG. 1. The rotor member 7 is nonrotatably mounted on a shaft 26 with the
central axis coinciding with the axis of rotation 6, which shaft 26 is
rotatably supported by the housing structure 20 by means of the bearings
27 and 28. Each of the plurality of bevel gears 29 respectively mounted on
the plurality of stub shafts or spindles supporting the plurality of
planar vanes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc., engages a nonrotating bevel gear 30
affixed to the housing structure 20 in a coaxial relationship to the axis
of rotation 6 through the idler gear 31. The pitch diameter of the bevel
gear 29 is twice greater than the pitch diameter of the nonrotating bevel
gear 30. It should be noticed that the shaft 26 extends through a
clearance hole disposed through the nonrotating bevel gear 30 and is
supported by the bearing 28. The ring seals 32 and 33 may be employed to
confine the fluid medium within the toroidal cavity 17 and to prevent the
fluid media from leaking into the interior region in the rotor member 7.
The inner circumferential portion 18 of the wall of the toroidal cavity 17
is provided by the spherical portion 34 of surface of the rotary member 7,
while the outer circumferential portion 19 coinciding with the second
spherical surface and the two side portions of the wall of the toroidal
cavity 17 is provided by the housing 20. The extremity 35 of the shaft 26
is used to transmit power to the rotor assembly including the planar vanes
or to take out power therefrom when the apparatus is used as a pump or a
motor. Of course, a device measuring the speed of rotation of the shaft 26
can be disposed at the extremity 35 as a measure of the volume flow rate
of fluid media moving through the apparatus, when the apparatus is used as
a flowmeter. It should be mentioned that the outer circumferential portion
19 of the wall of the toroidal cavity 17 may be provided by an annular
cylindrical member with inner surface coinciding with the second spherical
surface mentioned in conjunction with the description of FIG. 1, that is
disposed in a rotatable arrangement within a shell of the housing
structure including the two side walls of the toroidal cavity and rigidly
coupled to the rotor member 7 by a plurality of tie-rods respectively
disposed intermediate adjacent planar vanes and anchored to the inner and
outer circumferential portions of the wall of the toroidal cavity 17. In
such a revised construction, the port openings 23 and 24 open to the two
opposite halves of the toroidal cavity 17 should straddle the annular
cylindrical member or open through one or both side portions of the wall
of the toroidal cavity 17, and each of the plurality of vanes may include
a stub shaft or spindle extending from the outer circumferential edge of
the planar vane in a coaxial relationship to the shaft or spindle
extending from the inner circumferential edge thereof, wherein the stub
shaft or spindle is now supported rotatably by the annular cylindrical
member in a revolvable arrangement, which arrangement supports each of the
plurality of planar vanes at the two circumferential extremities instead
of the cantilever arrangement shown and described in FIGS. 1 and 2.
In FIG. 3 there is illustrated a cross section of a revised version of the
embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, which version includes essentially the
same elements and the same construction as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1
and 2 with one exception that is the planar configuration of the plurality
of planar vanes. The plurality of planar vanes 36, 37, etc., included in
the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 have two parallel side edges 38 and 39,
while the plurality of planar vanes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc., included in the
embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 have two side edges respectively
coinciding with two lines radiating from the common center of the two
spherical surfaces including the inner and outer circumferential portions
of the wall of the toroidal cavity 17. It should be understood that the
two side edges of the planar vanes employed in the revolving vane
pump-motor-meter of the present invention can have other geometries
different from those shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. For example, the two side
edges of the planar vanes may be tapered in an arrangement opposite to the
shape of the two side edges of the planar vanes included in the embodiment
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is important that the inner and outer
circumferential edges 40 and 41 of the planar vanes must have essentially
the same radii of curvatures as the radii of curvatures of the spherical
surfaces defining the inner and outer circumferential portion of the wall
of the toroidal cavity accomodating the plurality of planar vanes. When
the revolving vane apparatus of the present invention is used only as a
flowmeter, the shaft 42 of the rotor assembly 43 may not extend through
and out of the shell of the housing 44 as the speed of rotation of the
rotor assembly 43 can be measured across a solid barrier by employing a
motion sensor such as a magnetic transmission 45 transmitting the rotary
motion of the shaft 42 to the shaft 46 coupled to a counter or rotary
speed sensor, or a magnetic induction coil 47 detecting the passing of the
individual planar vanes.
In FIG. 4 there is illustrated a developed view of a cross section of the
combination of the plurality of planar vanes and the toroidal cavity
employed in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 or 3, which cross section is
taken along a cylindrical surface coaxial to the axis of rotation of the
rotor assembly and disposed intermediate the inner and outer
circumferential portions of the wall of the toroidal cavity. The angular
position 48 designated by the angle of rotation of 0 and 360 degrees is
equivalent to the 12 O'clock position 21 shown in FIG. 1, while the
angular position 49 designated by the angle of rotation of 180 degrees
corresponds to the 6 O'clock position 22 shown in FIG. 1. As the
individual vane 50 travels through the toroidal cavity 51, it revolves
about its axis of revolution 52 in such a way that the vane 50 plugs up
the entire cross section of the toroidal cavity at all angular positions
thereof with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotor assembly
including the plurality of vanes. It should be noticed that the vane 50 is
revolved to a position perpendicular to the direction of travel thereof at
the 0 or 360 degree position 48, while it is rovolved to a position lining
up with the direction of travel thereof at the 180 degree position 49. It
is readily recognized that the vane revolves about its axis of revolution
at a rotary speed equal to one half of the rotary speed of the rotating or
orbiting motion thereof about the axis of rotation of the rotor assembly
including the vane. The volume between two adjacent vanes progressively
decreases in the region between 0 and 180 degrees and consequently, the
fluid medium is expelled from the toroidal cavity 51 through the outlet
port during this phase of rotary motion of the vane about the axis of
rotation, while the volume between two adjacent vanes progressively
increases in the region between 180 and 360 degrees and consequently, the
fluid medium is pulled into the toroidal cavity 51 through the inlet port
during this phase of rotary motion of the vane about the axis of rotation.
In FIG. 5 there is illustrated a cross section of another embodiment of the
revolving vane pump-motor-meter of the present invention, that operates on
the same principles as those shown and described in conjunction with FIG.
4. This embodiment has elements and construction similar to those
described in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 2 with one exception, that is
the axes of revolutions 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, etc. of the planar vanes
59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, etc., which axes of revolutions are now disposed
parallel to the axis of rotation in an axisymmetric arrangement about the
same axis. The toroidal cavity 66 has a wall comprising the inner and
outer circumferential portions 67 and 68 provided by the stationary
housing structure 69, and the two side walls wherein one or both of the
two side walls is provided by the rotor member 70 supporting the plurality
of planar vanes 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, etc., revolvably about the axes of
revolutions 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, etc. When both of the two side walls
rotate with the rotor member 70, a plurality of tie-rods 71 respectively
disposed intermediate two adjacent vanes and extending between the two end
walls of the toroidal cavity 70 rigidly connect the end walls to one
another.
In FIG. 6 there is illustrated another cross section of the embodiment
shown in FIG. 5, which cross section is taken along plane 6--6 as shown in
FIG. 5. The two side walls 72 and 73 of the toroidal cavity 70 rotating
with the rotor member 74 about the axis of rotation 65 revolvably supports
the plurality of planar vanes 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, etc. about the axes
of revolutions 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, etc. disposed parallel to and
axisymmetrically about the axis of rotation 65. Each of the plurality of
planar vanes includes a gear 75 nonrotatably mounted on one of the two
stub shafts or spindles 76 and 77 supporting the planar vane, which gear
75 engages the nonrotating gear 78 disposed coaxially to the axis of
rotation 65 and affixed to the housing structure 69 through the idler gear
79, wherein the pitch diameter of the gear 75 is twice greater than the
pitch diameter of the nonrotating gear 78. The rotor assembly including
the plurality of planar vanes 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, etc., the end walls
72 and 73, and the rotor member 74 is nonrotatably mounted on the shaft 80
that is rotatably supported by the housing structure 69. It is readily
recognized that the inner and outer circumferential portions of the
toroidal cavity 70 are no longer needed to be spherical surfaces, while
the two end walls 72 and 73 must be of two parallel planar surfaces. In a
revised embodiment of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, each of the
plurality of vanes may be supported by a single stub shaft 76 in a
cantilever arrangement, wherein the other stub shaft 77 and the plurality
of tie-rods 71 shown in FIG. 5 can be omitted. Of course, the other end
wall 73 should be a portion of the housing structure 69 in such a revised
arrangement.
In FIG. 7 there is illustrated a cross section of a further embodiment of
the revolving vane pump-motor-meter of the present invention, that
operates on the same principles as those shown and described in
conjunction with FIG. 4. This embodiment has a plurality of substantially
planar vanes 81, 82, etc., disposed within the toroidal cavity 83 in a
distributed arrangement, which planar vanes are respectively supported by
a plurality of stub shafts or spindles 84, 85, etc., respectively disposed
on a conic surface with the central axis coinciding with the axis of
rotation 86 in an axisymmetric arrangement about the axis of rotation 86
and supported by the rotor member 87, which rotor member 87 is supported
by the housing structure 88 rotatably about the axis of rotation 86
coinciding with the central axis of the shaft 89 extending from the rotor
member 87. The inner circumferential portion 90 of the wall of the
toroidal cavity 83 provided by the rotor member 87 and the outer
circumferential portion 91 of the wall of the toroidal cavity 83 provided
by the housing structure 88 respectively coincide with two concentric
spherical surfaces having the center 92 located on the axis of rotation
86. Each of the plurality of planar vanes 81, 82, etc., includes a bevel
gear 93 nonrotatably mounted on the respective stub shaft or spindle 84
and directly engaging a nonrotating bevel gear 94 disposed coaxially to
the axis of rotation 86 and affixed to the housing structure 88, wherein
the pitch diameter of the bevel gear 93 is twice greater than the pitch
diameter of the bevel gear 94. This cross section view shows one of the
two ports 95 open to one of the two opposite halves of the toroidal cavity
83. The seals 96, 97, 98, 99 and 100 are employed to confine the fluid
media within the toroidal cavity 83 and prevent the fluid media from
leaking into the interior region in the rotor member 87.
In FIGS. 8 and 9, there is illustrated a cross section of an embodiment of
the internal combustion engine constructed in accordance with the
principles employed in the construction of the revolving vane
pump-motor-meter of the present invention, which figures also show
operating principles of the internal combustion engine shown therein. This
embodiment of the internal combustion engine has essentially the same
elements and the same construction as those of of the revolving vane
pump-motor-meter shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 6 or 7 with a few exceptions, which
exceptions includes, firstly, the exhaust port 101 disposed near the cross
section 102 of the toroidal cavity 103, where the cross sectional
sectional area becomes the maximum, and secondly, the intake port 104
disposed near the exhaust port 101 on one side of the plane of symmetry
including the cross sections of the maximum cross sectional area 102 and
the minimum cross sectional area 105 of the toroidal cavity 103. A fuel
injector 106 injecting fuel into the toroidal cavity in a scheduled timing
is disposed near the cross section 105 where the cross sectional area of
the toroidal cavity becomes the minimum on the same side of the plane of
symmetry as that including the intake port 104. A spark plug 107 is
disposed near the cross section 105 where the cross sectional area of the
toroidal cavity becomes the minimum on the other side of the plane of
symmetry opposite to the side including the fuel injector 106. The fuel
injection is timed to the rotation of the rotor member 108 in such a way
that the fuel injector 106 starts injecting fuel as soon as one of the
plurality of planar vanes 109 passes the fuel injector 106 during the
counter-clockwise rotation thereof in the particular illustrative
embodiment shown in FIG. 8 and stops the fuel injection before the
adjacent vane 110 following the vane 109 passes the fuel injector 106. The
ignition by the spark plug 107 is timed to the rotation of the rotor
member 108 in such a way that the fuel-air mixture contained between the
two adjacent vanes 109 and 110 is ignited as soon as the vane 109 passes
the spark plug 107. It should be noticed that the fresh air forced into
the toroidal cavity 103 through the intake port 104 by a super-charger or
turbo-charger purges out the burnt fuel-air mixture through the exhaust
port 101 and charges the space between two adjacent vanes 111 and 112 with
fresh air. The embodiment of the internal combustion engine shown in FIGS.
8 and 9 operates with or without the super-charger or turbo-charge forcing
the air through the intake port 104. Of course, the revolving vane pump
shown in FIG. 7, that is powered by the internal combustion engine shown
in FIGS. 8 and 9 can be used as the super-charger forcing air flow through
the intake port 104.
While the principles of the present invention have now been made clear by
the illustrative embodiments, there will be many modifications of the
structures, arrangements, proportions, elements and materials, which are
obvious to those skilled in the art and particularly adapted to the
specific working environments and operating conditions in the practice of
the invention without departing from those principles. It is not desired
to limit the invention to the illustrative embodiments shown and described
and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be regarded
as falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims
which follow.
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